What’s On at National Museums of Scotland

Exhibitions & displays    
   
National Museum of Scotland     
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF    
Open 10:00–17:00 daily   

The Declaration of Arbroath
3 Jun – 2 Jul 2023
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3       
Free entry       

The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter dated 6 April 1320 written by the barons and freeholders of the Kingdom of Scotland to Pope John XXII. The letter asked the pope to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see one of the most famous documents in Scottish history – the Declaration of Arbroath.

Find our more nms.ac.uk/The-Declaration-of-Arbroath

Beyond the Little Black Dress 
1 Jul – 29 Oct 2023 
Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 
Ticketed (concessions available)

From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion.

The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Beyond-the-Little-Black-Dress

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania
12 Aug 2023 – 14 Apr 2024
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free

Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Rising-Tide

Japanese Contemporary Design   
Until 30 Jul 2023       
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1      
Free entry
  
From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.   

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Japanese-Contemporary-Design

Events 

National Museum of Scotland     
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF    
Open 10:00–17:00 daily   

Edinburgh International Children’s Festival Family Encounters Day
27 May 2023
10:00 – 16:30
Grand Gallery (and beyond)
Free, some performances may require sign up on the day

Join us as we kick off the 2023 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival with Family Encounters – a day of free pop-up performances, artist interventions and activities for the whole family.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Edinburgh-International-Children’s-Festival-Family-Encounters-Day

Insect Week
19 – 24 Jun 2023
Various dates and times

Join us for a bug bonanza with a range of interesting insect activities and resources.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/insect-week

The Declaration of Arbroath: Insights from the Archives
20 Jun 2023
14:00 –15:00
Auditorium
Adult/Over 60: £3
Member/Student/Concession: £2

Inspired by a rare chance to see The Declaration of Arbroath, curator Dr Alice Blackwell and National Records Scotland conservator, Hazel de Vere, discuss its historical significance and material fragility.

Book now nms.ac.uk/Insights-from-the-archives

Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland
Until 22 Jun 2023
11:00-13:00
In the museum galleries
£155 for 10 sessions (concessions available)

National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses including this ten-week course that will introduce the magnificent arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. Exploring the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced modern methods and techniques used to create many beautiful objects on display in the museum.

Book now nms.ac.uk/Decorative-Arts

Concert for a Summer’s Night
22 Jun 2023
20:00 – 21:15 (doors open 19:15)
£9-£19 (includes welcome drink)

The Scottish Ensemble’s Concert for a Summer’s Night series is back at the National Museum of Scotland after sell-out performances at venues around Scotland in 2022. Join us for a musical journey that takes in the well-loved (Debussy’s serene Clair de Lune) and the less expected (including music from jazz legend Chick Corea), introductions from the stage and a chance to chat to musicians afterwards. A perfect way to celebrate summer.

Book now nms.ac.uk/concert-for-a-summers-night

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Open daily 10:00 – 16:00

Conservation Hangar Tours
Until 31 Mar 2024
Free with museum admission
Booking required

See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.

Book now nms.ac.uk/Conservation-Hangar-Tours

Operation Sabotage
3 & 4 Jun 2023
Age 14+ event   
Ticketed   

The year is 1942 and you are stationed at the RAF base at East Fortune. There has been an act of sabotage and one of the aircraft is unknowingly carrying live ordnance with instructions to bomb the town. Solve a series of fiendish puzzles to call off the flight and save North Berwick!

Operation Sabotage is an escape room experience for 4-8 people that lasts up to an hour. Working together as a team, you must race against the clock in two Second World War-themed rooms to decipher the identity of the saboteur before it’s too late.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/Operation-Sabotage

Awesome Bricks
17 & 18 Jun
10:00 – 17:00
Ticketed
Advance book required

Our hands-on celebration of all things LEGO is back with a wealth of things to see and do. Get a close-up view of incredible LEGO constructions, including an interactive train set, and make your own unique creations in our blue brick build zone.

Book now nms.ac.uk/Awesome-Bricks

National Museum of Rural Life   
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR  
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Lewis’s Scottish Adventure Trail
27 May – 6 Oct 2023
Trail
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Go on an adventure around the museum with a new family trail at the National Museum of Rural Life.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/lewis-s-scottish-adventure-trail

Nature Track Packs
24 Jun – 31 Aug
10:00 – 17:00
Borrow from the ticket desk
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our Nature Track Packs. Each pack contains fun ideas and activities to encourage children to engage all their senses to explore the countryside on a walk up to the farm.

What’s On at National Museums of Scotland

Published by

davepickering